Killer jailed for revenge machete attack in park

A man has been jailed for a minimum of 22 years for stabbing a man to death in a "revenge attack" with a machete.

James Brogan, 43, from St Mellons, was found seriously injured on Coleford Drive, Cardiff, on 12 November 2024 and died in hospital shortly after.

Georgie Tannetta, 21, from Trowbridge in Cardiff, was convicted of murder in May and was given a life sentence on Friday.

Newport Crown Court heard one witness described the attack, which took place in daylight in a children's park, as something from a "horror movie".

Tannetta used the 12 to 15in (30 to 38cm) curved blade to "repeatedly jab and slash" Mr Brogan, who suffered injuries including a severed artery in his arm.

Judge Daniel Williams described it as a "sustained attack with a terrible weapon".

Judge Williams commended one passer by who tried to help but said it was "striking" that no-one else did anything to help.

The court heard that, two weeks before the murder, there had been a "scuffle" between the two men after which Tannetta told friends he would stab Mr Brogan.

The victim was sitting near the entrance of the park drinking lager with a friend at about 16:00.

The court heard that, as well as children, the park was used by "men wearing black clothing and balaclavas."

Tannetta saw Mr Brogan at a distance of 60m (200ft) and approached members of one group of men to ask for a knife.

He concealed the machete in his clothing and approached Mr Brogan.

Judge Williams said "he would not have known you were a threat" as the attack began by Tannetta "swinging" the machete.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Brogan's daughter Sophie said her father's death had "devastated the family emotionally and physically".

"Without him we all feel unsafe," she added.

Ms Brogan said the loss was even more devastating as it was a "conscious choice" rather than a "moment that got out of hand".

Judge Williams said "the agony of the family's loss is all the greater for its needlessness".

He added that an aggravating feature was that the public nature of the attack with "primary school children forced to watch what took place".

Det Insp Rebecca Merchant of South Wales Police said the case highlighted the "devastating and far-reaching consequences of knife crime".